


Home is not a Place

by Golden_Asp



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Confessions, Happy Ending, I went back to my 'hurt Ignis' roots, IgCor Week (Final Fantasy XV), Kidnapping, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-04
Updated: 2019-02-04
Packaged: 2019-10-22 09:56:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17660579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Golden_Asp/pseuds/Golden_Asp
Summary: When Ignis is kidnapped, revelations about his relationship with Cor come to light.  Cor doesn't care who knows anymore, he just wants Ignis to be safe.





	Home is not a Place

**Author's Note:**

> For day two of IgCor week, prompt used was 'confessions'. I decided to go a different route; instead of confessing to each other, they have to confess to someone else that they're in a relationship. Also, I went back to my 'let's hurt Ignis' roots. I'm sorry, Ignis (to be fair, you've gotten a break while I've been off torturing poor Tony Stark).
> 
> There isn't much detail of the kidnapping, and that's on purpose. It wasn't really important, ya know? The focus is on the relationship, not what those assholes wanted Ignis for.
> 
> not beta-ed

Noctis burst into his father’s office, Gladio hot on his heels and Prompto right behind him. Regis looked up, shocked at the interruption. Getting Noctis into the office was a bit like pulling teeth, or getting the crown prince to eat vegetables. Cor Leonis turned in his chair, taking in the terrified expressions on Noctis and Prompto’s face, the scared one on Gladio’s.

Noct made a beeline straight for Cor, ignoring everyone else. Cor got to his feet just as Noctis barreled into him, grabbing his shoulders. Up close, Cor could see tear tracks on Noctis’ face, he could feel the prince trembling.

“Your highness, what’s happened?” Cor asked, taking Noctis by the shoulder. Regis stood, hurrying around his desk as quickly as he could. Prompto stood shivering next to Gladio, cheeks red from crying. Even Gladio looked like he had shed some tears.

“Noctis?” Regis asked his son.

“They took Ignis,” Noctis gasped, looking straight into Cor’s eyes. Cor jerked, his heart trying to crawl out of his throat.

“What? Who?” Regis said, putting his hand on Noct’s shoulder.

Noctis swallowed, trying to gather his thoughts. “We…we…”

Gladio stepped up. “The four of us went to the arcade, your majesty,” Gladio started, “and we were there for about an hour. Iggy—Ignis went to the car to get the extra cash so we could get more tokens and a red van stopped next to the car. Three men got out. We started to run out there, but Ignis saw us and shook his head. I had to hold Noctis back.”

“We came here as fast as we could,” Noctis said, shaking hard. Prompto sniffed, looking at the floor.

Cor tried to keep his emotions under control. This couldn’t be happening. Not Ignis.

“He didn’t fight back?” Clarus asked briskly, already typing out commands on his phone to the rest of the guard.

“They hit him with something and it immobilized him,” Prompto said softly. “It looked like a stun gun of some kind.”

“Three plus a driver?” Clarus asked, glancing askance at Cor. Cor seemed rooted to the spot, holding Noctis’ shoulders in a bruising grip. 

“There may have been more inside the van,” Gladio said, his father’s clinical voice helping to calm him down. “I didn’t get a good look.”

Noctis looked up at Cor, eyes wide and panicked. “You have to get him back, Cor,” Noctis whispered fiercely. Cor blinked slowly, focusing on the prince. Noctis nearly took a step back at the look in his eyes. 

He’d always found Cor to be a reserved man, friendly to those he cared about, stern and distant to those who didn’t warrant his attention. Noctis had never seen such a cold look in the man’s eyes before. His eyes were two chips of ice, cold rage moving across his face.

“I will,” Cor said, his voice just as hard as his eyes. Noctis sagged in relief. He believed Cor. He knew Cor Leonis would get Ignis back. He couldn’t imagine anything else.

FFXV

There was no ransom demand, no contact made. Noctis and Prompto were sent to the prince’s room, full guard outside the doors. Noctis had no desire to go anywhere, still shaky and scared from watching his advisor and closest friend get dragged into the back of a van. He and Prompto sat shoulder to shoulder on Noct’s bed, quiet.

There was a knock on the door and Gladio slipped into the room, locking it behind him. Noctis looked up.

“Any word?”

“They’ve managed to ping his phone,” Gladio said, sitting down next to Noctis. “It seems Ignis had it in his pocket and they didn’t remove it, at least at that point. Cor and Dad are leading the team to check the location, assisted by some of the Glaive.”

“They’ll find him, right?” Prompto whispered, voice small. Ignis sometimes terrified Prompto, but he genuinely liked the older man. Now that he and Noct had graduated high school, Ignis had loosened up around Prompto.

Noctis squeezed Prompto’s hand, staring at the blank tv across the room. “Cor will tear down the city to get him back.”

FFXV

Ignis hung in the middle of the room, head down, chin touching his chest. His glasses were long broken, shattered glass on the floor at his bare feet. His shirt had been torn off and they had beaten him with something. His head pounded, his toes couldn’t find purchase on the blood soaked floor, making his arms and shoulders hurt. His wrists were bound above his head, and he was pretty sure his right wrist was broken, along with some ribs.

They hadn’t even asked him any questions. He didn’t know why they had taken him, but he was thankful that Noctis and the others were safe. He couldn’t imagine what they would’ve done if they had gotten the prince.

His left eye was swollen shut, and his nose wouldn’t stop bleeding. Every breath hurt, like glass shoved into his lungs. He could hear his kidnappers walking around the warehouse, but he kept his eyes closed. Any time he showed signs of being awake, they beat him again.

He wished they would just tell him what they wanted. He had no shortage of money, being a count and in the employ of the crown, but they hadn’t asked for money. They seemed to take perverse pleasure in causing pain, and that was it.

He heard something out of place; the quiet clinking of a chain, a nearly silent bootstep, and the thud of a bullet through a silencer.

He relaxed as best he could, a smile crossing his face.

Cor had come for him.

FFXV

They surrounded the warehouse that the signal was coming from, checking for multiple exits and making sure that they were sealed.

Cor held a silenced pistol in one hand, his katana across his back. He’d prefer to get in close, cut the bastards up and make them scream for taking Ignis, but taking a few out at a distance was fine. He would let the others handle them; he had to get to Ignis.

Nyx Ulric looked through a window, getting a quick count. He cursed and took a silenced shot when one of the kidnappers saw him, killing the man before he could alert the others.

“Compromised, go, go, go,” Nyx said into his radio.

Cor kicked open the door and Ignis screamed.

FFXV

One of the men went down, the top of his skull gone in an explosion of bone and brain matter. The leader cursed, grabbing his blade and surging towards their captive. He held the knife to Ignis’ throat, using the young man’s broken body as shield as the door was breached.

He closed his eyes against the white hot light of a flash bang grenade, pressing his teeth against Ignis’ shoulder and jostling his broken ribs.

“They found you,” he hissed in Ignis’ ear. “Just in time to watch you die.”

He dug the knife in and Ignis felt it pierce his skin. The man slammed his fist into Ignis’ ribs and he screamed.

Ignis wasn’t sure what happened next. He felt a burst of hot liquid against his skin, heard an enraged bellow, and opened his right eye in time to see his kidnapper’s head get separated from his shoulders by a familiar katana.

Cor spun as soon as the body collapsed. “Ignis,” he whispered hoarsely. He trusted the the guard and glaive to take care of the rest of the room; the only thing that mattered was Ignis. He figured out how his arms were bound and used his katana to carefully cut him free.

Ignis let out a cry as he fell into Cor’s arms, his fractured wrist and broken ribs screaming in pain. Cor carried Ignis to the ground, cradling him against his chest. 

“Ignis, Ignis, Ignis,” Cor whispered, voice cracking. He pressed his hand against the wound on Ignis’ neck, doing his best to stem the bleeding.

Ignis blinked his right eye, left still swollen shut. He swallowed, and Cor felt his throat move under his hand.

“You came for me,” Ignis whispered, right arm cradled to his body.

“Of course I came for you,” Cor said, brushing Ignis’ hair back. “ _Nothing_ could keep me from you.”

Ignis’ eyes slipped closed and Cor felt his life seeping past his fingers.

“Ignis! Ignis, don’t leave me!” Cor cried. “Don’t leave me.”

FFXV

Nyx had to restrain Cor when the medics took Ignis from him; the bigger man snarled and kicked at Nyx, nearly taking his knees out.

“He needs medical attention, Marshal,” Nyx grunted. He had never seen the marshal so frantic before, and it scared him a little. Cor finally went limp in Nyx’s arms as the paramedics put Ignis on a gurney and rushed him to the waiting ambulance.

“C’mon, Marshal,” Nyx said, guiding him around the bodies. “We’ll follow the ambulance and you’ll be at the hospital with him in no time.”

Nyx led Cor to one of the guard vehicles, nearly shoving the taller man into the passenger side. Nyx shot off a quick text to Drautos and Clarus, telling both he was taking Cor to the hospital, saying they were going to guard Ignis. Clarus responded immediately; the best of the guard would be meeting them there, along with the king and prince.

Cor stared out the window as Nyx sped after the red and blue lights of the ambulance. He seemed to be in shock. His hands and face were covered in blood, and Nyx was smart enough not to say anything about the tears dripping from his eyes.

FFXV

Ignis was taken into surgery the moment the doctors figured out what he needed. Cor paced the waiting room, terrifying the others there. Nyx tried to get him to calm down to no avail. When the king arrived, the civilians were led to a different waiting area and the hospital was secured. Regis managed to get Cor to sit next to him, though he wouldn’t speak.

Finally, hours later, the doctor came back. Noctis nearly leapt to his feet.

“Where is he? Is he okay?” Noctis asked.

“Your majesty, your highness,” the doctor said, voice tired. 

“How is he?” Regis asked. Cor sat rigidly next to him, gripping his knees so hard his knuckles were white. 

“He’s in serious condition, but he is stable at the moment. His right arm was fractured in seven places. We needed to place pins it. He has multiple rib fractures, which will have to heal on their own. There’s no danger of them puncturing a lung. He has fourteen stitches in his neck from the knife wound, and he won’t be shouting any time soon. He has stretched and torn ligaments in his shoulders, multiple bruises across his body and organs. He also sustained a fracture to his orbital bone on the left side. We had to do a blood transfusion due to the amount of blood he lost, but he is young and in good shape. He should be able to make a full recovery.”

Noctis’ knees went weak and he sat in the middle of the floor. Nyx knelt next to him, offering him a water bottle.

Cor stood, nearly swaying on his feet. “I have to see him.”

“He’s in intensive care.”

“I have to see him!” Cor yelled, silencing the room.

“Cor,” Regis said softly. Cor’s shoulders hunched like he’d been struck and Regis sighed, getting slowly to his feet. He held his cane in his hand, leaning on it. He put his hand on Cor’s shoulder, ducking his head to meet bloodshot blue eyes. They looked at each other for a moment and Regis looked at the doctor.

“Take us to him, please. His uncle is out of the country at the moment, and we are all he has,” Regis said. The doctor nodded and turned on his heel. Cor shuffled after him, heart in his throat. Ignis sounded like he was in bad shape, and if Cor was honest, he was afraid to see him.

The doctor led them to the intensive care floor, opening the door to a private room. Cor froze on the threshold, Regis’ gentle prodding the only thing that sent him forward. Ignis looked so much smaller than his six feet in the bed, hooked up to various machines. His right arm was in a cast from his fingers to his bicep, resting across the top of his body. His left eye surrounded by a dark bruise and his eye was swollen shut. Cor could see a bandage around his throat and he looked pale even against the white sheets. Cor wanted to scream, to find those men and kill them again and again for hurting Ignis.

Regis pushed Cor forward and the doctor brought out two chairs for them. 

“We’d prefer to keep the number of people in the room small, your majesty.”

“Of course,” Regis said with a nod. “No more than two will be in the room at the time, although given that he was kidnapped, I am going to post guards on the door. The hospital will have around the clock guards until we can move him back to the citadel.”

The doctor bowed and showed himself out.

Cor and Regis sat in silence next to Ignis, the only sound the steady beat of the heart monitor. Cor tentatively reached out and took Ignis’ left hand in his, fingers trembling at how cool his skin was.

“Cor,” Regis said. Cor flinched, not looking away from Ignis’ hand in his own. 

“How long?” Regis asked.

Cor swallowed hard, Regis’ hand gentle on his shoulder. He let out a soft sigh, closing his eyes against the sight of Ignis so still and silent in the bed.

“Three years,” Cor whispered. Regis swallowed his surprise. “How did you…”

“I’m old, not an idiot. I’ve never seen you react the way you did when Noctis told us the news. I’ve never heard of someone having to hold you back while a member of the guard was taken away in an ambulance, and you just about made that poor doctor shit himself when you yelled in the waiting room. Three years? So Ignis was…”

“Eighteen,” Cor said, raising Ignis’ hand to his lips and brushing a kiss over his knuckles. “I was…reluctant because of his age. He is the most stubborn…” Cor’s voice cracked, a quiet sob taking him by surprise.

Regis pulled the younger man to him, surprised when Cor came willingly. It reminded him of the days when Cor was so much younger, so much more innocent. Cor cried into his shoulder, his own broad shoulders shaking as silent tears rolled down his face. Cor sat up, sniffing and turning back to Ignis. He took Ignis’ hand in his again, thumb tracing circles on his skin.

Regis discreetly typed out messages on his phone, and a few minutes later there was a brisk knock at the door. Cor tensed, half turning his head as Clarus walked in.

“Cor, you need to go shower,” Regis said gently, nodding his thanks to Clarus for bringing Cor a change of clothes.

“I can’t leave him,” Cor said swiftly. “I…I…” He seemed lost. Cor was no stranger to death. He had been in the thick of it since his days on the street as a child. But the thought of losing Ignis hit him harder than anything had before. It had been so long since Cor had allowed himself to love and he didn’t know what he would do if he lost Ignis.

Regis made Cor look at him. “You are covered in blood, Cor Leonis. When Ignis wakes up and sees you tracking blood all over the hospital and his hand, do you think he’d be happy?”

Cor blinked at him, suddenly realizing that his hands were covered in drying blood. He could feel it drying on his face and knew he must look horrifying.

He didn’t want to leave Ignis.

“I will sit with Ignis until you return,” Regis said, squeezing Cor’s shoulder. “Go with Clarus. The doctors are going to let you use the hospital shower. Go. Ignis will not be alone while you’re in the shower.”

Cor finally stood up. He took two steps towards the door before turning around. He walked back to the hospital bed, leaning over and brushing his lips over Ignis’ forehead. Regis and Clarus watched silently, neither saying anything as Cor strode from the room. 

Clarus followed Cor to the shower, setting the change of clothes on one of the lockers. Cor stripped and Clarus took the bloody clothes. They would be processed as evidence. Cor turned on the shower and didn’t even wait for it to warm up, standing under the cold spray. He watched the red tinged water run down his body, swirling down the drain. His shoulders shook and he started to cry silently.

He could still feel Ignis’ blood pulsing out beneath his hand, Ignis’ life spilling no matter what he did. He would never be able to forget that feeling, forget the sight of Ignis so pale and lifeless in his arms.

He stepped out of the shower and mechanically dried his body, pulling on the Crownsguard sweats that Clarus had brought him. He followed Clarus back down the halls to the hospital room, sagging into the chair next to Ignis’ bed. He took his hand again, fingers pressed against his pulse point.

He could hear the steady beat of the heart monitor, but feeling Ignis’ pulse, thready but true beneath the pads of his fingers, let him know that Ignis was alive.

“I’m guessing I’m not going to be able to get you to leave to get some sleep,” Regis said, voice fond as he watched Cor.

Cor shook his head. Nothing would drag him away from Ignis, not even his king.

“Does anyone know about your relationship outside this room?” Regis asked. He wanted to respect their privacy.

“Noctis,” Cor said. 

Regis arched his eyebrow. “How did that happen?”

Cor actually managed a wry smile. “He walked in on us kissing in my office. Ignis was mortified. Noctis turned an incredible shade of red.”

“How’d you keep him quiet?” Clarus asked.

“Who do you think got him that Assassin’s Creed special edition PlayStation?” Cor said, looking at Ignis. “It was worth it.”

Regis got to his feet. “I’m sure Noct will want to sit watch with you then, although I warn you that your reaction to this has outed you.”

Cor nodded tiredly. “It’s always been a possibility. This wasn’t one of the outcomes we discussed.”

The three men were silent for a moment.

“I love him, Regis,” Cor confessed, voice quiet. 

Regis rested his hand on Cor’s shoulder, offering what strength he had to the man.

“Then make sure you tell him. Every day.”

Cor nodded, holding Ignis’ hand between his own.

Regis and Clarus slipped out of the room, and Cor bowed his head and cried.

FFXV

A rotation of people came to sit with them; Noctis, Prompto, Gladio, Nyx Ulric, Clarus, Regis, other members of the guard and glaive. Cor wasn’t sure. He was more focused on Ignis. The younger man hadn’t woken up yet, which the doctors said was to be expected. 

Cor refused to leave, and Regis had given him the time off. At the moment, Cor was the only one in the room, the only sound the steady beeping of Ignis’ heart monitor. Cor’s head rested on the bed, still holding Ignis’ hand. He drifted in and out of sleep, mentally and physically exhausted. 

It was a gentle squeeze of his fingers that had him bolting awake, staring at Ignis with wide eyes.

“Ignis,” Cor whispered, staring at him. One green eye stared at him, the left still swollen shut. Ignis squeezed his hand, a weak smile on his face.

“I knew you’d come for me,” Ignis whispered, voice hoarse. Cor grabbed a nearby glass of water with his free hand, helping Ignis take a drink. Ignis licked his lips, a pained sigh escaping his lips.

“You came for me,” Ignis said again.

“Of course I came for you, Ignis,” Cor whispered, cupping the right side of Ignis’ face.

Ignis touched the bandage at his throat, taking in the cast on his arm. He gingerly touched his face, hissing at the pain. He reached for Cor’s hand again, lacing their fingers together. 

Cor bowed his head over Ignis’ hand, wrapping both of his around Ignis’. 

“I’m so sorry, Ignis,” Cor whispered.

“This isn’t your fault,” Ignis said. “You saved me, Cor. You saved me.”

Cor kissed the back of Ignis’ hand. Ignis captured his chin with his fingers, forcing the older man to make eye contact.

“I know I probably have terrible breath, but I would very much like you to kiss me right now,” Ignis said softly.

Cor smiled, shifting closer. He carefully cradled Ignis’ face, leaning forward to gently slide their lips together. Ignis sighed into the kiss, right eye slipping closed.

“I love you, Ignis,” Cor whispered against his lips.

“I know,” Ignis whispered. “I heard you. Every time you said it. I would very much like to hear it again.”

Cor smiled, kissing Ignis again. “I love you.”

Ignis smiled. He knew he had a slow recovery ahead of him, but he knew Cor would be there with him every step of the way.

“I love you, Cor Leonis,” Ignis said, completely ignoring the king standing in the open door.

Regis smiled as he watched Cor kiss his younger lover again, and he shut the door behind him, leaving the two alone.

Ignis and Cor sat together, fingers twisted together. 

FFXV

Ignis was moved to the citadel to recover. Noctis was thrilled to have him back, giving him a gentle hug. Ignis slowly recovered. He had a scar across his left eyebrow, but he had fully recovered his sight. His ribs healed slowly, driving Ignis nuts. Soon, he only had a cast around his arm. He’d needed multiple surgeries to set the bones correctly.

Somehow, the fact that Cor Leonis and Ignis Scientia were in a committed romantic relationship hadn’t gotten out. Very few people knew, although it may have had something to do with the fact that Cor was sent out on a mission not long after Ignis had been sent to the citadel. Cor hadn’t wanted to go, but Ignis had told him to go.

Cor had been gone for over a month, and Ignis missed him. He and Noctis sat in the prince’s room, Ignis watching Noct play an Assassin’s Creed game. Ignis tapped one handed at his laptop, sending out various messages while Noct cursed at his game.

They looked up at the knock on the door. Gladio poked his head in. “Just thought you’d both want to know that Cor’s back. Throne room.”

Noct helped Ignis to his feet and they started down the hallway. Noct and Gladio could barely keep up with Ignis’ long strides.

“Think he’s excited?” Gladio whispered at Noct as they practically jogged to keep up with him.

Noctis snorted, grinning. 

The doors to the throne room were open and Ignis’ eyes fell immediately on Cor, standing before the throne and debriefing the king. Ignis charged across the throne room, eyes glued on Cor’s back.

Cor saw the smile on Regis’ face and the way the king’s eyes drifted to someone behind him. He heard footsteps and spun, his arms suddenly full of Ignis. Ignis crashed their lips together, right there in front of everyone. Cor held him, cradling the back of his head and deepening the kiss. Gladio let out a wolf whistle only to be whacked over the shoulder by Noct.

Ignis pulled back, cheeks flushed and lips parted. He seemed to realize that he had just outed their relationship as his eyes widened. Cor just laughed, kissing him again. Ignis relaxed at the approving smile from Regis, the playful catcalls from Noct and Gladio.

“Welcome back,” Ignis said.

“It’s good to be back,” Cor said.

He kissed Ignis again. He was home.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm loving all this IgCor week content! Keep it coming, guys!
> 
> comments and kudos are love!


End file.
